2 Kings 3-4 B

What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors.Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. 4:2-6

I love this miracle God performs to provide for a widowed woman. He uses something she already has, something ordinary like oil, and multiples it, filling up vessel after vessel in her house. She’ll sell the oil, pay off her debts and be able to live off the profit. God prioritizes her troubles and provides for her. I see this concept repeated in the Bible, especially when it come to miracles. Someone’s sack lunch is used to feed thousands (Mark 6:31, John 6:1-14) or like when a few stones in a boy’s pocket are used to take down a giant soldier (1 Sam. 17).

When has God used something in your life, something ordinary, for a greater purpose?

Never underestimate what God is able to do. We don’t need elite education, special resources or extraordinary circumstances for him to show up. These chapters are just a drop in the bucket of examples of God using the underdog or the least expected to accomplish his work.

Share a time God unexpectedly showed up in your life with us in the comments!